Collapsible crate



July 15, 1941.- w. A. THIMM coLLAP'sIBLE CRATE Filed July '28, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet l William A. Thi mfiz INVENTOR.

July 15, 1941. w. A. THIMM 2,249,189

COLLAPSIBLE CRATE Filed July 28, 193? 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.4. 5

a; 53 .FIG.3.

a0 Z9 0 v 37 Z0 I 42 William AThimm INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY} July 15,1941. w. A. THIMM 2,249,189

COLLAPSIBLE CRATE Filed July 28, 1937 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 William A.Thimm INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

sheet metal tray l8.

Patented July 15, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,249,183.. ooLLAPsIBLnoRATE William A. Thimm, Milwaukee, Wis. Application July 28, 1937, Serial No. 156,122 2Claims. .(oi. 2 2 0'-6) collapsible crates for collapse easily and with a minimum of inter-.

ference by the members.

Other objects and advantages will appean'expressed or implied, from the following description of the illustrative embodiments of the present invention. e

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a poultry crate constructed in accordancewith the present invention. Y t i g r Fig. 2 is a perspective view'of the poultry crate when collapsed.

Fig. 3 is a partial end view of crate. I I Fig. 4 is a partial side view of the crate.

Fig. 5 is a partial transversesectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a partial longitudinal sectional view taken on-the line B6 of Fig. 3 with the folded position of the members shown in shadow.

Fig. 7 is a partial longitudinal sectional view along the same line as Fig. 6, showing thefcrate the poultry in the collapsed condition of Fig. 2.

Fig. 8 is a partial View of thetop of the crate. Fig. 9 is a bottom view of 'the crateon a reduced scale. 7

The crate illustrated in the drawings is erectedupon a bottom portion ll formed in the shape of a tray. It consists of longitudinal and transverse bars l2 and I3 joined in a grid-like formation, and having upturned end portions l4 and 15, respectively, joined to end bars IB and side bars I! forming the rim of the tray. The gridlike bottom portion is preferably lined with a Hinged to either side of the bottom portion II are side panels l9, each formed of longitudinal bars 20 supported by vertical bars'2 l. side panels are joined to the bottom portion in a novel manner, the vertical bars 2! having their These lower ends bent into loops 22 surrounding the The ends of the crate are each formed by two panels 23 and 24; Each end panel consists of cross-bars 25 supported by vertical bars. The lower panel 23 has top and bottom rails 26 and 21 to which the vertical bars 28 are joined. The upper panel 24.however has onlya top rail 29, and in place of a bottom rail the vertical bars 30' are formed into loops 3| surrounding the top rail 26 of the lower panel to hinge the panels together in a manner similar to the side panel hinges described above. Similar loops 32 ar e formed on the upturned'ends "M of the 'longi tudinal bars l2 of the bottom tray, the ends l4'being extended above the end'r'ail l6 for this purpose. These loops 32 engage about the lower bar 21 of the lower end panel 23, securing the end panels to the crate.

The ends of the crate serve'as supports-for thetop 33, which consists of longitudinal bars such as 34, braced by. cross-bars, such as the center bar 35, the intermediate bars 36; and the end bars-31. The ends of the longitudinal bars (such as 34) are extended beyond the end bars 31 and formed into the loops 38 surrounding the top'rail 29 ofthe upper end panel 24, thushingf a grid-like formation of vertical bars 40 and hori-' zontal bars 4l'. Some of the'vertical bars, such as 42, are extended above and below the grid formation} carrying at their lower ends the lower cross rail 43', and at their upper endshaving loops' 44 about-the center bar of the top panel; l0 hinge partmon to the top panel.

' It'may readily be seen from the drawings that the ingenious hinged arrangement allows the crate to be easily collapsed. The partition 39 is first drawn up against th'ejtop '33, as shown in Fig. 6, and the side panels J3 swung into the crate, as'shown in Fig. 5. The hinged end pan els 23 and 24 thenfunction like a toggle, folding inwardly, as shown in Figs. 6 and '7, and

allowing the top 33 to descend upon the folded be no interference-in the folding operation. Thus the side hinge loops 22 are placed above the edge of the tray l8, so that the side panels may fold over the top of the tray. Likewise, the end hinge loops 32 are situated above the line of the side hinges 22 so that the end panels may fold inwardly above the side panels without in-" terference therewith.

As the crate is unfolded again, it may readily be seen how the ingenious arrangement of hinged parts allows each to support and brace the other. Lifting the top panel 33 straightens out the end panels 23 and 24, which will support the top securel .so long as they are maintained in a straight line. The side panels [9 then swing upward between the panels at each end, which are formed to extend slightly beyond the vertical position of the side panels, so that the side panels prevent inward collapsing of the end panels. Further outward movement of either sides or ends is prevented by clips 45, attached to the vertical side bars 30 of the end panels 24, in such position that the vertical end bar 2| of the side panels enters the clips when the side panel is raised.

After the side panels are in place, the center partition 39 may drop into place between the side panels, providing a strong brace member efiectively preventing inward swinging of the sides, andsupporting and bracing the crate. To

' impart strength to the partition as a bracing memberythe vertical bars 40 are spaced relatively closely together, and securely fastened to the cross bars 4|. A spring clip 46 located on the bottom of the tray I 8 receives the bottom rail 43 :of the partition .andholds it-against undesired further movement in either-direction.

There should be provided openings -to give access to the interior of the crate, and means for closing the same. The structureshown in the drawings has been found satisfactory. Openings 41 are provided in the top- .panel 33 on either side=of the partition 39 by removing from a number of central longitudinal bars 48 the portion between the central transverse rail 35 and the adjacent intermediate rail 36. 'A cover 49 for these openings is in the present case formed of longitudinal bars 50 corresponding to the shortened bars, and transverse bars and 52 supporting them at either end. Each of the transverse bars 5| and 52 has its ends formed into loops 53 surrounding the longitudinal bars 54 adjacent the opening, so thatthe cover is slideable along the bars '54 over the opening.

It will be noted that the crate has been designed to slide freely-along a supporting surface. The longitudinal bars l2 of the bottom of the crate are placed beneath the transverse bars l3, thus forming skids uponwhich the crate may readily slide. 'All connections between the bars I2 and other pieces are raised'above the level of the bars, and the ends of the bars are upturned so that each bar presents a continuous surface having no projections or interruptions to interfere with free sliding thereof.

Various changes may be madein either embodiment of the invention hereinabove specifically described without departing from or sacrificing the advantages of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a collapsible poultry crate the combination of a base comprising a grid-like tray formed of longitudinal and transverse wire bars having upturned ends, a sheet metal tray mounted in said base and forming a bottom for said crate, a top for said crate comprising longitudinal wire bars and connecting means therefor, lower and upper end panels comprising transverse bars and connecting means therefor, said upper and lower end panels being hinged together and to said top and said base to form toggle end members for said crate extensible into erect position between said top and base members, side panels comprising longitudinal and vertical wire bars, said side panels being hinged to said base at their lower edges and being extensible between said end panels, said toggle end panels having meansinterengageable with said side members to thereby retain said end members in upright position, and a central partition comprising transverse and vertical wire .bars, said partition being hinged to said top member and being moveable into upright position between said side panels to thereby'retain saidside panels in upright position, and a spring clip in the bottom of said crate for releasably retaining said crate in unfolded condition.

2. In a collapsible poultry-crate, the combination of abase'comprising a grid-likeitray formed of longitudinal and transverse wire bars having upturned ends, the endsof said longitudinal bars forming loops and the ends 0f said transverse bars carrying a longitudinal bar, lower 'end panels comprising transverse bars and connecting-means therefor, the lower of said bars being hinged in the loops on the upturned ends of the longitudinal base members, upper end :panels comprising transverse bars and connecting means therefor, said upper end :panels being hinged to said lower end panels to form toggle end members for said crate, a top for 'saidcra'te comprising longitudinal wire bars and connecting means therefor, said longitudinal bars having end loops engaging the upper bar of said upper end members to form a hinge therefor, said toggle end members being extensiblexi'n'to erect position between said top and base members, side panels comprising longitudinal wire bars. and vertical connecting b'ars, said vertical bars having at their lower ends loops engagingthe longitudinal bar carried by the ends of the transverse base bars, to thereby hinge said side panels to said base, said side panels being extensible between said end panels, and acentral partition comprising transverse 'wire bars. and vertical connecting bars having looped ends engaging said top member to hinge said partition, said partition being moveable into upright position between said side panels to thereby,

retain said panels in upright position. 

